Stupid Excuses
by MistressMarie
Summary: Sasuke's having a bad week and who else but Naruto is to blame? But why is Sasuke the one to be left feeling sorry? Is Naruto sick? Or is it something worse? Light SasuNaruSasu, Fluff and Hardship, Academy Days! Rated M for potty-mouths and mild violence.
1. It's A Rainy Day

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto! If I did, there would be a whole lot of NaruSasu, oh yes, and Sakura wouldn't be so shallow and useless :3 Enjoy~!

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Chapter One: It's a Rainy Day

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"When this began

_I had nothing to say_

_And I get lost in the nothingness inside of me_

_I was confused _

_And I let it all out to find_

_That I'm not the only person with these things in mind_

_Inside of me _

_But all that they can see the words revealed_

_Is the only real thing that I've got left to feel_

_Nothing to lose _

_Just stuck, hollow and alone _

_And the fault is my own, and the fault is my own_

_I wanna heal, I wanna feel_

_What I thought was never real_

_I wanna let go of the pain _

_I felt so long_

_Erase all the pain till it's gone_

_I wanna heal, I wanna feel_

_Like I'm close to something real_

_I wanna find something I've wanted all along_

_Somewhere I belong"_

_-Somewhere I Belong, Linkin Park_

_~.**~*~**.~_

All he wanted to do was take a bath. A nice, warm and soothing bath after a long day of vigorous, muscle wrenching training. But, of course, Sasuke could never have it that simple. He sighed, a blue rubber duck floating across the bubble riddled water and closing in on his personal space. Giggles filled the foggy, tiled room as a blonde head bobbed over the water and a tan hand squeezed the little duck, causing squeaks to echo over the bubbles. "Quack, quack like the wind!"

"Idiot," The squeals of laughter subsided and Naruto hummed questioningly at Sasuke's inquiry. Sinking into the water, only a smallish, rosy nose peeked over the suds, and blue jewels beamed innocently up at the last Uchiha in question who merely wrinkled his nose. "Why are you here?"

Naruto's eyes curved up and he looked about the bathroom, plucking the rubber duck under water. A tune of childish rhymes raised from the bubbles, and Sasuke scowled at the prolonged response. Naruto snorted at the Uchiha, and with a sneeze, he began to giggle again. "Why else would I take a bath, Sasuke? I was dirty!" Naruto brought the duck back out of the water and set it atop the raven's head. "Quack."

A slender, black brow twitched with annoyance, and a vein throbbed in Sasuke's forehead with vibrant frustration. He swatted the duck off of his head viciously, a small splash cupping its landing. Naruto snickered, and dropped below the surface, leaving the duck behind to sway in the ripples. Sasuke was having a slight issue with the blonde at the moment, who seemed to the littlest Uchiha to be a bit _too_ perky lately. Frankly, you could say Sasuke was a little concerned... "Why me? Why is it always me? First it's all week with your idiotic games and stupid excuses! Now you're in my_ bathtub! _Hell, when did you even _get in here?"_ …for his sanity.

Sasuke growled, swiping at the bubbles, trying to find the missing blonde. Sasuke reached around the depths of the water, and with a blank face, he mapped out the bottom of the tub. _Empty? Where did he go? _Sasuke was with but a twinge of curiousness at Naruto's strange behavior. He was more angry than he was curious of the blonde however, for he had pulled such drastic pranks on him all week long. His eyes darted about the tub water, searching for rising bubbles. He fought hard not to jump when warm breath blew over his neck. He suppressed a very unmanly yelp and scooted away from the blonde's close proximity. Naruto grinned, and raised the duck into the air with the whirring sounds of a flying kunai. Sasuke growled. "Why are you here in my bathtub, you idiot?"

The blonde squinted at him for a moment. "Well, considering this particular bathtub, I'm only in _your _bathtub, because it _is_ your bathtub." Naruto shrugged nonchalantly. "If it wasn't yours, I'd be in a non-Sasuke-related-bath tub, right? So, I'd still be taking a bath, but not with you, right? I am taking a bath, but it is merely your bathtub." Sasuke looked at the blonde incredulously as he continued, "And, I got here when you put that funky shampoo in your hair." Naruto blinked curiously, and set the duck down. He leaned in closer to Sasuke, whom in reaction leaned away from the blonde. "For using such a funky shampoo, you always smell good," Naruto murmured thoughtfully. "Neh, Sasuke, do you use girly shampoo?" Naruto tilted his head to the side. "Is that why your hair sticks up in the back? Because you have a freakish, girl shampoo fetish? Did you steal that shampoo from Sakura? It smells a lot like hers."

Sasuke shoved the ranting boy away and crossed his arms over his naked chest. He hunched over, trying to conceal himself a little more. Naruto plucked the duck in and out of the water, making it appear as if it were bouncing–over the surface of Sasuke's lap. Sasuke was growing more and more agitated and more than a little uncomfortable. "S-stop ch-changing the subject, and avoiding my questions, moron!"

Naruto blinked, and picked up the duck once again. "I answered your questions, so I thought it was my turn to ask something. Quack, quack…"

The blonde once again set the duck atop Sasuke's head, and Sasuke hurriedly knocked it away. "No, you don't have a right to ask questions! _Why _are _you _in _my _bathtub?"

Naruto leaned over the side of the tub and picked up the blue duck from the pink shag carpet. "I already answered that question Sasuke. I'm in _your_ bathtub because this tub is _yours_. If it wasn't yours, I wouldn't be in your bathtub. I would be in a non-Sasuke-related-"

"I get that! But _why _are you in _mine _and not your _own?" _Sasuke cupped his hands and drew mountainous bubble clumps over his lap while also trying to make it as unnoticeable about covering himself as possible. His eye was beginning to develop a tic with his obvious irritation at the growing awkwardness.

Naruto frowned, scrunching up his nose at the Uchiha. "Because, Sasuke, if this was my bathtub, I would be, but since it's yours it's quite impossible to be in mine, don't you think? Quack, quack."

Sasuke was just about ready to pull his hair out. The duck floated around the Uchiha gently, bobbing and weaving with the small waves. "Hey, Sasuke? Why do you have a pink carpet? You know, Sasuke, you're getting kind of red in the face. Maybe you've been in the tub too long."

Sasuke's head began to pound with a migraine. Naruto giggled at the duck swaying over Sasuke's lap, seemingly completely oblivious to the situation, and what questions he was asking. Something seemed to finally snap within Sasuke's inner rationality and his jaw locked tightly with anger. "Naruto." Naruto froze in surprise at the unfamiliar, dark irritation Sasuke's voice harbored as it hissed between his teeth. Naruto bowed his head as his eyes grew wide much like a kicked puppy. "Get out of my _freaking house!"_

Naruto flinched and his shining eyes adverted themselves to the water. Sasuke blinked at the blonde's boxer clad hips as the he stood and waddled his way over the tub side. He plopped down onto the carpet with a soft _squish, _and padded slowly over to the door. Naruto's tan hand rested on the handle quietly as he hesitated.

Sasuke's anger diminished considerably when his frustration was finally released. The raven began to sense an odd aura in the air and dropped his stiff shoulders at the soft blue eyes that suddenly appeared over the blonde's tan shoulder. "Hey… I'm… sorry, that I was such a bother to you recently… I didn't realize I was such a hassle. I won't bother you anymore. Promise." Naruto turned then, and opened the door, stepping into the hallway. He didn't look back as he shut the door behind him.

Sasuke watched the door steadily, the sudden silence bearing in on him. Surely the door would pop back open and Naruto would bound in obnoxiously with that stupid grin and a declaration that he would stay as the raven protested it all. Yet, the door remained deathly still, and it was so quiet, Sasuke heard the father clock ticking down below in his living room. Surprise grasped his good sense as an abrupt guilt began to press in on him. _What's this all about? _He_ was the one annoying _me_, not the other way around!_

He stood silently and wrapped a towel around his waist. Entering the hall, he looked down both ways in case the blonde may still be inside the house. The hallways were barren. Sasuke strained his ears, but only the resonant ticking came his way. He made to the staircase and the first step creaked under his foot noisily. Sasuke winced, and flew down the steps to keep them from protesting beneath his weight. Easing around the corner, the clock's repetitive ticking pursued Sasuke as he tracked the drips and puddles of water to his front door. Hesitantly, he opened it, and the cold air hit him dreadfully as it rained.

He called out weakly from his doorway, "Naruto?"

The rain was pouring, pelting his roof and the grounds with no mercy. Sasuke could hardly see the road, or what was across from it for that matter. With a frown, Sasuke closed the door, and jogged up the stair case, the steps crying louder than the old clock. He stepped into his bathroom, the humid air wrapping around him and surrounding him in the smell of musk. Sasuke stepped up to the tub and peered down at the abandoned rubber duck; unnaturally still on the docile water as it looked up at the Uchiha with a false smile.

The father clock's ominous chime bounded throughout the secluded home.

_~.**~*~**.~_

"Oh, man! I'm going to be late!" Sakura threw her hair back out of her eyes, and yanked open the academy door. The chatter of loud voices met her ears as she galloped down the hall. Her inner-self cheered. _Yes! Another day to charm the love of my life!_ As she skidded to a stop in the doorway, Sakura's emerald eyes darted across the crowded room, seeking out the youngest Uchiha.

As her eyes settled on the familiar fan on Sasuke's back, she smiled in satisfaction and made her way to his desk. Taking a deep breath, she tried to make her chest stick out a little farther. Sakura leaned onto the desk and was about to speak when Sasuke sighed lightly, and bowed his head, his bangs falling forward and hiding his face from view. Sakura instantly deflated, a pout on her thin lips. _He's having a bad day? _Sakura's cheeks puffed up. _It's probably all that stupid, Naruto's fault! He's been annoying him all week! _Sakura took her seat and glared at the empty one between her and Sasuke.

Sasuke, too preoccupied in his thoughts to notice Sakura, curled his hands into little fists, and set them in his lap. His eyes darted to the empty seat beside him, then to the floor, before he looked up as Iruka's soft voice sifted through the room. "Good morning! Today we -"

The door chose at that time to swing open and clatter against the back wall. "_A-a-achoo!_ Gah!" Sasuke shivered as the introduction of that familiar voice reawakened the uneasiness that had failed to leave him since the night before. He leaned heavily over his desk, again hiding his eyes from view.

"Naruto! You're late, again!" Iruka's raised voice bellowed across the classroom.

Sakura scowled, and stood in a haste as the sniveling blonde came trotting to his seat. Naruto wiped his nose, and sneezed again. With an exhausted sigh, he dropped into his seat and held his aching head. "Ah… ouch…"

"Naruto," Sakura growled, and sat more calmly into her seat though her eyes burned with rage. Her eyes turned to Iruka briefly as he started the lesson, then turned her face down to direct her voice away from their sensei. "What did you do to Sasuke-kun?" Her voice was like the hiss of a hackle raised snake.

Naruto clamped his small hands over his temples, hoping to settle his swimming thoughts and come up with an answer. Sakura stomped her foot, and growled. "Don't you ignore me!"

Naruto sighed, reluctantly looking up, and winced as the sun from the windows hit his sensitive eyes. "Neh, Sakura-chan?" His own voice was a hoarse rasp through his sore throat.

Said girl glared at the blond from under her eyelashes. "I hope you have a _good_ excuse this time."

Naruto blinked owlishly. "Well…" Sakura observed the boy suspiciously. "I really didn't do anything to Sasuke…" Sakura's foot was now tapping demandingly. Naruto finally sighed with a lopsided, half-hearted apologetic grin. "Okay, maybe I did," he offered vaguely, hoping the girl would leave him alone.

Sakura rolled her eyes, giving up, and went back to listening to the lesson. Naruto sighed in relief, slapping his temples and muttering to himself about girls with their "Sasuke this" and "Sasuke that". Finding his muttering wasn't helping his headache go away, Naruto finally settled with folding his arms and setting his heated cheek down on them. He clenched his eyes shut tightly, trying to block out the light and maybe get some sleep.

When he was sure the exhausted blonde wasn't looking, Sasuke studied his otherwise familiar face. Naruto had been a bit abnormally sluggish all week, trying to act awake, but he came off really perky–giggling and stuttering. Which was partly why Naruto was annoying Sasuke. The blonde's eyes had a dark tinge about them, and his cheeks were flushed deeply. Sasuke frowned, and without thinking, he touched the blonde's forehead. The feverish skin made him flinch and he pulled his hand back, cradling it to his chest. Surprisingly to Sasuke, the blond hadn't noticed, and was breathing deeply. Sasuke rubbed his hand thoughtfully. _He must be sick… _Sasuke turned to the front, and watched as Iruka demonstrated something on the board. It looked like he was explaining projectiles and directing them. _I've never really asked a question before… _Sasuke pursed his lips momentarily and tentatively raised his hand.

"Um, Iruka-sensei," he called out. All his classmates turned to gaze at him simultaneously. Sasuke withdrew slightly.

Iruka turned away from the board and to the Uchiha, surprise lighting his features when his eyes settled on him. "Ah, yes, Sasuke?"

Sasuke blinked at his sensei's questioning face and quickly dropped his hand. "Um, Naruto isn't… I mean… can I…?" He stuttered over his words, pointing at the blonde.

Iruka lowered his chalk and frowned distressfully. "Is he bothering you again?"

Sasuke's eyes widened. _He thinks I'm tattling! _"Um, no, it's just, ah… He's sick, I think."

Iruka blinked twice, and then he smiled. "Oh. You wouldn't mind missing a lesson would you Sasuke? Could you maybe watch him today? He tends to overexert himself."

Sasuke paused and scrutinized Naruto's face carefully. _He trains even when he's sick? _

The class erupted into murmurs and giggles.

"Over exert?"

"That loser?"

"Yeah right."

Sasuke lowered his chin as Naruto's eye lids fluttered, his brow creasing subconsciously. Sasuke's glare swept over the class. "Yes, I can sensei." The room quieted.

Iruka chuckled at Sasuke's determination. "Thank you, Sasuke. Now, as I was saying…"

Iruka called everyone's semi-attention back to the board as Sasuke pushed his chair out. He shook Naruto's shoulder softly. "Hey, get up."

Naruto grumbled and sat up. He squinted his eyes as he surveyed the classroom with blurry vision. "Eh? Is class over?"

Sasuke smirked. "No, you fell asleep."

"Mm…" Naruto yawned, stretching his arms across the desk like some sort of cat. He wet his lips, then promptly fell back asleep, his head falling to the desk with a mute bang.

The class erupted into laughter, and Naruto sat up stock straight at the sudden jar to his head. Iruka turned from his board once more to observe the turmoil. Naruto rubbed his spinning head warily, and Sasuke pulled him up by the arm. "Come on, idiot."

Naruto stood on slow legs, and rubbed his eyes. Sasuke frowned, and gave him a nudge. Naruto started to the walkway and wobbled. Sasuke grabbed hurriedly onto his shoulders before the blonde could fall to a probable concussion. The class slowly went silent, and their eyes watched them carefully. Sasuke could feel the curious apprehension, and his own uneasiness matched the tension in the room. "Naruto, walk."

Naruto remained limp, Sasuke's hold the only thing keeping him off the ground. "…mm."

Sasuke gritted his teeth in annoyance, and slowly maneuvered around the blonde. He held more steadily onto Naruto's shoulders and stared at his half-lidded uncomprehending eyes. Sasuke was _definitely_ sure he was developing a _permanent_ tic in his eye. _Great. He's sleep walking. I'm going to have to carry him. _Sasuke grunted and turned, pulling Naruto's arms over his shoulders. He leaned over and bucked once, setting Naruto securely on his back. Naruto's feverish cheek pressed into Sasuke's neck through the raven's high collared shirt. Whispers erupted among the desks making Sasuke self-conscious. He hurriedly slid his arms under Naruto's knees and started up the steps. He kept his eyes glued on the door, ignoring the awkward glances he was getting. Just as he was about to make a dart for the exit, his sensei spoke.

"Um, Sasuke?" Sasuke turned mock inquisitively to his sensei, and he saw that _everyone's_ eyes were on him. Iruka gestured to Naruto's limp form with a flick of his hand. "You don't have to carry him home, that's too troubling."

Sasuke frowned. _Troubling? _"That's okay sensei, he really needs to lay down anyway."

Sasuke found his sensei's standpoint confusing. Naruto wasn't all that heavy, just really warm, and he could carry him just fine. Sasuke felt Naruto shift, their heads brushing as the blond faced the class. As Naruto's arms folded more securely around Sasuke's neck, Sasuke confidently stood more straight.

Sakura's heart drummed heatedly as Naruto for, _ahem,_ lack of better terms, _**snuggled**_ into Sasuke. To make matters worse, those girls at the top row were blushing and giggling. She glared at Naruto. _That should be me. I should be the one_–Sakura paused, seeing Naruto's face scrunch up in discomfort as he started to wiggle around. Sasuke turned his head, and started to talk to the other, though it was so quietly Sakura couldn't hear. It seemed to be an argument until Naruto relaxed and Sasuke's face flushed with embarrassment. Sakura wished torment upon the squealing girls.

"Oh. If that's how you feel, then go right ahead, Sasuke," Iruka conceded quietly, turning hesitantly back to the board.

Sakura watched Sasuke's back as he left the room silently. The girls on the top row turned to each other and whispered frantically, their eyes alight and sparkling.

"Oh my god, that was so cute! He blushed!"

"It was, it was! It's like–I don't even know."

"Who knew they would be so…?"

"Yeah! Like in those mangas at the bookshop!"

The girls squealed again, and Sakura burned with jealousy. _What happened?_

_~.**~*~**.~_

Sasuke walked awkwardly through the market, conscious of the looks he was receiving. He had noticed that by the time they were on the street, Naruto had buried his face into the raven's neck. The hot breath had made Sasuke uncomfortable at first, but he soon tolerated it as his attention was focused on the disgusted looks he was being sent.

A heavy inhale caught his attention. "I'm sorry," was breathed into his collar.

Sasuke frowned, and readjusted Naruto on his back. "Why are you apologizing?"

Naruto sniffed, and a new puff of hot air soaked into Sasuke's shirt, collecting on his neck. "…for everything…"

Sasuke closed his eyes for a moment, and then he continued on. "Hm. There's no need to."

Naruto's arms folded more firmly, and Sasuke paused again, feeling Naruto's chin begin to tremble. "…those looks they're giving you… I'm so sorry…"

Sasuke frowned, and stared blankly at the villagers who looked at him funny. Soon enough, Sasuke was walking down a cleared path as the villagers began to avoid him. "I don't care. They're probably just having a bad day. Besides, it doesn't have anything to do with you, so don't worry about it."

Naruto began to shift about, making it difficult to hold him. Sasuke frowned. "Stop moving around or I'll drop you."

Naruto continued to squirm, if not more so. "That's okay… you can put me down now. I can walk-"

"No. Just sit still. I'm taking you home." Naruto stilled at Sasuke's stubbornness, and Sasuke again readjusted him. The tall apartment building came into view, and the crowds continued to lesson, moving away from the duo. Sasuke huffed, his annoyance growing stronger. _What is their problem?_

"Sasuke just–" Sasuke shushed him and glared back at everyone who glanced his way. Sasuke soon reached the apartment, his eyes wandering over the lonely vicinity as he ascended the steps. Once Sasuke reached the door, he raised his eyebrows when he realized the door was unlocked. He easily moved inside, and turned to lock it behind him. He paused, seeing the lock had been shambolically torn off of the hinge. The unsolicited uneasiness began to swell within him. Looking through every doorway until he found the bedroom, Sasuke got a _very_ clear view of Naruto's stark home. Sasuke sat down on the edge of the bed, where Naruto detached himself, leaving cold air to hit Sasuke's back. Sasuke shivered and stood, when a soft muffled voice came from the bed.

"…don't ever do that again, Sasuke." Then the room was quiet, and Sasuke turned to survey the other. Naruto was already laying down, his back facing him. Sasuke shifted uncomfortably. _What should I do now? _His eyes ran over the unacquainted room restlessly. "…you can go now if you want to," Naruto's voice came again, followed by several sniffs.

Naruto wiped his nose, wondering if Sasuke was going to say something. Then, slowly, footsteps tapped away from him. They echoed in his mind, followed by a fuzzy silence. Naruto's eyes stung, tears trailing down his round cheeks. _Why can't I stop crying? _He harshly rubbed his eyes with the heels of his palms to try and slow his tears, but they kept flowing. Naruto began to snivel and he was finding it hard to breathe. _How could I do that to Sasuke? I could have walked home myself! _Naruto curled into himself, and slapped his temples again and again. _Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!_

A hand wrapped around Naruto's wrist, restricting him from hitting himself again. "What are you doing?"

Naruto froze, his eyes searching Sasuke's fuzzy face. "I…"

Sasuke's bleary image tilted its head. "…What's wrong with your faucet? I went to make you a cooling pad but the water wouldn't come out."

Naruto blinked at the blurry white square being suddenly shoved in his face. He touched it, and realized that it was a wash cloth. He lowered his eyes. "I don't kn-"

"No stupid excuses," Sasuke interrupted.

Naruto's lower lip quivered, and his throat felt sticky. "The old lady landlord turned my water off," he whispered.

It was quiet for a moment, and the wash cloth was taken away from Naruto's limited view. "Why?" Naruto shrugged meekly, but his eyes played torrents streaming down his cheeks. "Why, Naruto?"

Naruto shook his head, his chin trembling. "She said I was troubling and that she didn't know why she even let me live here, and then…" Naruto eyes kept flowing.

Sasuke furrowed his brow. "That's a stupid reason. Here, close your eyes." He moved the soft cloth over the blonde's face, and Naruto moved away from the unsuspected gesture, but Sasuke grabbed his shoulder. He gently wiped away the tears from Naruto's eyes, drying them. "You should tell the Hokage. I don't think the land lord is allowed to do that on a whim like she did." Carefully, the cloth was taken away, and Naruto flinched at Sasuke's sudden close proximity. Sasuke placed his hand on Naruto's forehead, and his eyes narrowed. "You're way warmer than before." Sasuke frowned and turned around, gesturing to his back. "Come on, we're going to my house before this gets any worse."

Naruto frowned, a lump forming in his throat. His hands started to shake and he couldn't get them to stop. Sasuke looked to his side to catch Naruto in his peripheral vision. "Come on, what are you-"

"No!"

Sasuke's eyes widened at the sudden outburst, and his eyes turned so sharply a spark of pain ran through them. "What? Why?"

Naruto shook his head, his eyes tightly shut. "No! I won't give them a reason to look at you like that, again! No!"

Sasuke jumped to his feet, his confusion and frustration riling him. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Naruto bowed his head, absentminded of his uncontrollable trembling. "Me! _Me_, Sasuke!" Naruto sobbed, tears dribbling down his chin. "They all hate me!" Sasuke's eyes widened, his mouth agape but silent. Naruto shook his head. "I can't… I won't give them a reason to look at you like that ever again…" Sasuke shut his mouth, Naruto's fervent blue eyes meeting his. "…not you."

Sasuke was at a standstill as his mind slowly processed the emotion that danced in Naruto's eyes. Naruto adverted his eyes from Sasuke's strange gaze. He tried to rub the tears from eyes, thinking the raven thought he was being a crybaby. "You know, Naruto…" Naruto looked up at him reluctantly. "you're eyes never lie." Naruto sniffed absently, his mind puzzled as Sasuke smiled at him.

His amused eyes sent Naruto into a turmoil. "_Eh? _What's that supposed to mean? You're weird, Sasuke!"

Sasuke's smile curled into a smirk, his hand fishing around in his pocket. _Just as slow as ever. _"Just forget it. Here, catch."

Naruto fumbled to grab hold of the object thrown at him, and it gave a wheezy cry. Naruto looked down at his blue duck, a haphazard hole running right through its neck. "Ah! Squeakers!"

Sasuke's smirk turned evil. "Don't leave your things at my house. I can't guarantee their safety."

Naruto fumed and threw the duck at the raven, to which it merely bounced off his chest harmlessly. "You stabbed him, you jerk! You're the one who screamed at me to get out of your house!"

Sasuke looked at his hand as if he were examining his nails. "I won't tolerate anymore stupid excuses."

Naruto's jaw fell slack. "_Eh?_"

_~.**~*~**.~_

"…_what_–_what's going on?"_

"_It's just me. Stop wriggling around."_

"_Sasuke? Put me down," _

_"Tch. Idiot. Just sit still."_

"_No, I s… Sasuke, you're really… warm,"_

"…_What? Are you rambling?_

_"You smell good too," _

_Sasuke turned away, not knowing what to say to that, and hid his blushing face._

_

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**A/N: This was edited, seeing as my stupid brain couldn't write another fluffy passage. Well, the next chapter is _partly_ fluffy, but it gets a little dark. Please be forewarned! If you wanted another chapter because you wanted it to be fluffy, don't read the next chapter. This was initially planned to be just a one-shot, so when you guys wanted another chapter, I tried to make it fluffy, but my mind doesn't work on candyland setting. It always has to throw something foreboding in every story I write. You have been warned! I also don't like writing a before note and an after note 'cause I'm lazy, so only the disclaimer is goin up there from now on!**

**Lots of love,**

**-MM (:**


	2. A Matter Of Fear

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. If I did, Kakashi's perverted books would suffer vicious, merciless and untimely deaths (': Enjoy~**

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**Chapter Two: A Matter Of Fear**

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_"And I've got nothing to say_

_I can't believe I didn't fall right down on my face_

_I was confused_

_Looking everywhere only to find_

_That it's not the way I had imagined it all in my mind_

_So what am I? _

_What do I have but negativity?_

_'Cause I can't justify the way everyone is looking at me_

_Nothing to lose_

_Nothing to gain, hollow and alone _

_And the fault is my own, and the fault is my own_

_I wanna heal, I wanna feel_

_What I thought was never real_

_I wanna let go of the pain _

_I felt so long_

_Erase all the pain till it's gone_

_I wanna heal, I wanna feel_

_Like I'm close to something real_

_I wanna find something I've wanted all along_

_Somewhere I belong"_

_-Somewhere I Belong, Linkin Park_

~.**~*~**.~

_A shadowed mass of atmosphere; a never ending abyss of pitch-black darkness… that's what Naruto opened his eyes to. _

_He scrambled hurriedly to his feet, his eyes frantically looking about the eternal shadow land he seemed to have landed himself. His feet hit solid ground, yet it made no noise. That odd fuzz you here in the silence was missing. His gut squirmed and screamed at him that this wasn't right, but he didn't need his gut to tell him what he already knew. A dank chill ran up his spine when he was almost sure he felt numb; like he wasn't even standing there at all. He began to wonder if he had opened his eyes to begin with, but he was sure he had._

_Naruto, beginning to shiver, raised his hands and cupped them around his mouth. He called out into the abyss, "Hello?" His wavering call did not echo. Did not even reach out. Naruto heard the muffled choppiness in the sound of his voice as it hit the air. This wasn't right. Naruto's ears perked, hearing hushed voices near him. Relief flooded through him, and he spun around to greet his company. However, distraught wringed his stomach as he took in the crowd._

_It was the villagers. _

_Naruto tucked his chin into his chest, and glared heatedly back at their hateful stares. _

"_It's him again…"_

"_Go away!"_

"_Get out of here, you monster!"_

"_You demon!" _

_The villagers began to distance themselves, yet they were suddenly all around him_–_surrounding him. His glare withered into the dejection, his lower lip beginning to tremble. His fists clenched at his sides. _

"_Monster!"_

"_Just get out of here!"_

_The parents pulled their children away from him as they continued to shout, tucking them under their arms as if to protect them. The children were easily influenced and frowned at him, their eyes sparkling with suspicion and fear. Naruto's stomach twisted as tears began to roll down his cheeks. Naruto gritted his teeth, and wiped his nose on his sleeve when it began to run. Despair swept over him and he buried his head in his arms. "Why…?" _

**"…**_**That's right…"**_

_Naruto stiffened, hearing a wicked voice crawl out from around him. He looked up, yet the villagers only stared hatefully back at him. _

**"…**_**You'll always be alone…"**_

_Naruto searched the crowd, but no one moved. No one was speaking._

**"**_**You? As Hokage? What a joke."**_

_Naruto stepped forward, dropping his arms. "I _will _be Hokage!" His voice cracked._

**"**_**The day you become Hokage, the sky will shatter and crash to the ground."**_

_Naruto sobbed, his tears overflowing. "I will… You'll see…" The voice laughed, and Naruto flinched, feeling as though his bones rattled at the ferocity of it._

_The ground beneath his feet began to shake violently, tossing him to the ground. The villagers' faces turned from hatred to horror. Their terror stricken eyes bored into him before they grabbed their children and ran, fading into the shadows. Naruto's heart hammered into his ribs as fear coursed through his veins. His chest felt like it was being crushed from where he lay, and he reached out to the fleeing figures. _"_W-wait," he sputtered._ _A furious growl cackled behind him, and Naruto's breath escaped him. _

**"**_**Turn around, boy…"**_

_Slowly, Naruto turned his blue eyes over his shoulder, and lightning terror struck through his being. The infamous nine-tailed fox demon, Kyuubi, crouched over him, his red eyes forever imprinting themselves into Naruto's mind._ "_Y-y-you…"_

_Kyuubi laughed, a bellowing baritone that resounded inside Naruto's constricted chest. __**"Naruto. When they look at you… they see **_**me**_**."**_

_Naruto's eyes widened, hopeless tears flooding now in torrents. "…what?"_

_Kyuubi merely grinned, his sharp white teeth glowing in the dark. __**"They all hate you, this you already know, but they always will. You're nothing but an empty entity, for I reside within you. I practically shape you!"**_

_Naruto shook his head, struggling to stand. "You're lying," he shouted defiantly, _

_pleadingly, throwing his arm back in emphasis as he pulled his knees under him to stand._

_Kyuubi's red eyes shined amusedly. __**"Ah, but I'm not. I **_**am**_** a part of you. But do you know who is stronger?" **__Kyuubi's breath heightened, hissing through his dagger like teeth and whipping around Naruto fiercely. Naruto grunted, leaning into the wind so as not to topple to the ground._ _Naruto scowled when Kyuubi merely snickered. __**"What's the matter, boy? It seems I have the upper hand, yet I haven't even lifted a finger!"**_

_Naruto bore his teeth at the fox like a snarling animal. _**"**_**SHUT UP!" **__Naruto froze and staggered, taken aback by the feral sound of his own voice. Breaking his balance, he rolled over from the harsh wind that was Kyuubi's essence._

_Kyuubi's grin stretched maniacally. __**"I will forever shadow you! I will have my way, and be warned**_–_**it will be soon! I will **_**destroy you**_**, boy!"**_

_Naruto's heart leapt from his chest as the fox's clawed hand raised into the air and descended upon him with quick precision. He could hear the whistling of the razor sharp claws as they sliced through the air before they were drowned out by his own screams._

"Naruto!"

Naruto's eyes shot open as he jumped from his pillow. His dark room's dancing shadows closed in about him, with Sasuke at the center. The raven's anxious gaze and painfully tight grip on Naruto's shoulders woke the blond completely to reality. Naruto's mouth fell open in fright, but he couldn't make the words come out.

Sasuke shook him roughly, his eyes wide and gleaming with fear. "Breathe, you idiot!" Naruto's jaw continued to flap uselessly as he tried to pull air into his lungs. Sasuke pounded on his chest fanatically. "Breathe!"

As that fist connected with his rib cage, the fear that had stolen his breath was knocked out of him. Naruto gasped, sucking in a lung full of air. He grabbed at Sasuke's shirt as he rasped to breathe. "S-sasuke," Naruto sobbed, pulling on the raven's shirt. "Sa-suke!" He could feel the tears continuing to pour down his face, his broken sobs hiccupping in the dark. "Sasuke!"

Warm arms wrapped around him, pulling him into a tight embrace. Naruto's breath hitched in surprise. Feeling the warmth and comfort overcome him, he sobbed and clung to Sasuke, hugging the lithe torso. Naruto's chest was burning with terror and his heart was racing. He sniffed profusely, burying his face in Sasuke's warm chest.

"…Stupid idiot, having stupid dreams," Sasuke cursed into his blond crown, his hold tightening.

Naruto couldn't stop sobbing, his tears just kept coming. "Sasuke, I was–I couldn't…!"

Sasuke shushed Naruto gently as he carded his thin fingers through the blond hair, only to pull Naruto closer. The boy was all but enveloped in Sasuke's arms yet Naruto pushed further into the raven's warmth.

Earlier that night, Sasuke had fallen asleep, sitting in the corner of the room while watching over Naruto's slumber. He had had the urge to stay and make sure the idiot didn't do anything stupid, but he hadn't taken nightmares into account. He had been jolted awake by incessant rustling of blankets and small, almost nonexistent cries. It had taken constant shaking and yelling to wake the blond from his nightmare, and when Naruto had finally woken, Sasuke was met with complete terror. The blond was so frightened he didn't breath for several minutes, scaring Sasuke out of his wits.

Sasuke continued to shush him as the sobbing slowly died out. However, Naruto's shoulders wouldn't cease shaking as trembles wracked his small frame. Sasuke began to move away in order to get a good look at the blond when Naruto's hold tightened beyond painful. "No, don't… please…"

Sasuke was shocked to hear such a weak plea come from such an aggressive person. "Don't what?"

Naruto sniffled, his hands closing taut around the fabric in his hands. "…don't leave…"

Sasuke's brow drew together. "I'm not going anywhere–"

"Don't leave me alone," Naruto cried, his hiccups returning to wrack his shoulders.

Sasuke frowned. "I'm not… just let me get a good look at you."

Naruto froze suddenly, and he frantically shook his head. "N-no! H-he said–and you'll–"

Sasuke's brow furrowed sharply. "Who? Who said what? What about me?"

Naruto merely shook his head once more, and refused to move away from Sasuke. The littlest Uchiha sighed, unsatisfied, and told himself that he would for now just try to put Naruto back to sleep. Sasuke scooted about the bed, leaning back against the wall. Naruto had no complaints as he nestled himself securely in Sasuke's arms, his hiccupping slowly ebbing into soft snoring. By the time it seemed Naruto had tuckered out, Sasuke's eyes were drooping. Naruto's warm body was like a blanket in itself and was slowly dragging Sasuke under.

Sasuke slid down onto the mattress, Naruto's unconscious form tightening its hold for a moment before loosening when Sasuke remained still. The raven was both concerned and apprehensive to say the least, and decided to leave the covers on the floor where they had fallen. As darkness closed in around him, a soft voice filtered through his foggy mind.

"…thank you… Sasuke…"

~.**~*~**.~

The sun was vibrant as it streamed through the windows of the residential buildings of Konoha, but not every citizen was as jovial as the sun when it came to waking up. Especially a certain little sleep deprived Uchiha who let a string of curses fly when the sun bathed him in blinding light. Sasuke tried to flop over and away from the sun's rays but found he couldn't. Something was wrapped around him. He reached out for the blonde. "…hey, idiot, close the blinds…"

Sasuke's cranky command was answered with silence. He tugged his eyes open, and was met with an empty bedside. Sasuke shot up and onto his feet, momentarily wobbling on his sluggish legs and watched as the blanket that had been on the floor in the night fall through the air. Naruto had tucked him in. Sasuke shook his head and looked about the food littered apartment bedroom only for no blonde to be found. Sasuke's eyes widened as a familiar voice raced through his mind.

"_Oh. You wouldn't mind missing a lesson would you Sasuke? Could you maybe watch him today? He tends to overexert himself."_

Sasuke scowled darkly and ran blindly out of the apartment, his mind supplying no direction. As Sasuke ran into the street, he couldn't help but notice that the crowd on the market clearly expanded away from the tall apartment building, as if avoiding it. He lowered his chin as comprehension slowly began to reel the wheels in his head. Sasuke was only now beginning to gradually understand Naruto and his anger boiled when he had no idea as to where the blonde could be.

"…_I'm sorry… for everything… those looks they're giving you… I'm so sorry…"_

"_I don't care. They're probably just having a bad day. Besides, it doesn't have anything to do with you, so don't worry about it."_

Sasuke clenched his eyes shut, his fists trembling at his sides as he shook his head of the conversation. Sasuke ran through the market, figuring the blonde might had gone for food with his zealous apatite. He rooted through so many shops his stomach ached with the variety of strong smells. His eyes darted about, and finding no trace of the blonde, ducked out of the market and into the streets. Sasuke ran up and down district after district, though he had no idea why the blonde would be there, but he still had to try. The streets were crowded, Sasuke just barely squeezing through the closely packed bodies. Now at the border of the districts, Sasuke continued to sprint, though he quickly lost stamina and doubled over on a gravel sidewalk. He panted, his hands planted on his knees as he wracked his mind of locations where Naruto might be.

A slight trickling sound caught his attention and standing to his full height, Sasuke paused at the sight of the storm soaked dock down the hill. A feeling of nostalgia washed over him, his heart slowing down as he caught his breath. The longer he stared, the more he began to see the impression of his younger self solitarily sitting at the end of that dock. His younger self seemed to sense a presence, and glared over his shoulder at him. Sasuke paused, feeling the need to turn away from the memory taking over him. It felt strange to stand on the very hill Naruto would sometimes sit to watch the remote Uchiha, seemingly too intimidated to move closer. Sasuke felt as if maybe he would never truly understand Naruto's motives, but the grin he had flashed at Sasuke that day made an unbidden smile curl his lips like it did so many years ago. A sudden thought came to mind, the kind of thoughts that flash for a moment and disappear. The memories you merely subconsciously remember, rearing their heads once in a good while. The striking image of swings and children's laughter laced his good sense and Sasuke looked down the gravel path. There, in the distance, stood a small playground. Naruto walked this path everyday, so he must have come from there.

The slouched way the boy had walked home from the playground everyday imprinted itself into Sasuke's resolve. He took off toward the playground, the run not quite as long as the others. His eyes readily roamed the equipment before he even came to a complete stop. The empty swings swayed in the slight wind on the very empty playground. Sasuke frowned deeply, his patience running very thin. "Yo, Uchiha."

Sasuke paused and slowly turned on his heel. Two boys stood on the gravel path he had come. The tall one had a mixed look as being interested and skeptical at the same time, his hands shoved into his pockets. Sasuke recalled his name to be Shikamaru, a boy who often slept in class. The short and round one beside him was Chouji. He always stuck to Shikamaru's side. He was currently happily and carelessly munching away on a bag of chips, seemingly oblivious to the Uchiha's presence.

Shikamaru shifted his weight and nodded toward him. "What're you running about Konoha like a chicken with its head cut off for, Uchiha?"

Sasuke glared at the boys, Shikamaru simply raising a brow while Chouji curtly curled in on himself. "First of all, I don't like being referred to as culinary–secondly, I'm looking for Naruto. Have you seen him?"

Shikamaru frowned at the culinary bit, but shrugged none the less. "You just missed him. He was here a while ago–woke up early to come and train or something like that. Some boorish boys came by and told us all to get lost. Naruto swore up a storm, made the guys pretty angry, then he stomped off; said he was going to the academy–probably to sit on that swing of his."

Sasuke nodded at Shikamaru, and ran past the boys toward the school. Shikamaru rubbed the back of his head. "I wonder why those boys were so pushy to begin with…" Chouji shrugged at his friend, stuffing more chips into his mouth. Shikamaru sighed. "Troublesome…"

Sasuke sprinted towards the academy, his legs numbing up. His thoughts raced as anger littered his focus. _Why hadn't I thought of the academy swing? _Countless memories of Naruto sitting upon that rickety swing swept past his eyes. Sasuke gritted his teeth. _Had I been that clueless? That blind to him? _Sasuke rounded the few trees and onto the academy campus. He froze there on the lawn, catching Naruto's bowed blonde head as he lay motionless on the ground before the academy swing. A few boys surrounded him, all of them higher classman, but only by two years. They were shouting at the blonde as he tried to pick himself up, but from this distance Sasuke couldn't quite hear them.

Sasuke took a closer look at the blonde, and his heart thudded. Naruto was bleeding. Something fierce rose and coiled in Sasuke's gut at that moment, and his fists clenched threateningly. A slight spark of heat ran through his eyes, but Sasuke took no heed to it as his heart hammered. The littlest Uchiha leapt toward the boys, the numb tingling in his legs dissipating into adrenaline.

As he came closer, the boys words rang through his ears. One kicked him in the side, making the blonde curl in on himself. "You got any witty remarks now, freak? Hey! I'm talking to you!"

Another boy elbowed the first. "Dude, he obviously can't even speak properly, even my mom says he's a delinquent!"

The third laughed mockingly. "Ha ha! What a little weakling! Don't pick a fight you can't win!"

Naruto's struggling form shook. "…You hit me first…"

The boys sneered down on him. "What was that? You spoke?"

Sasuke's heart raged and enveloped in fire, his eyes burning with fury. As his feet slapped the ground, the boys turned towards him, their expressions ones of confusion and surprise. Sasuke charged the first, drawing his fist back and throwing it forward, colliding with the tall boy's teeth. The boy stumbled and fell to the ground. He rolled around and held his mouth as he moaned in pain. Blood trickled through his fingers and down his chin. Sasuke shook his hand, his own blood dripping from his knuckles that had shredded across the boys teeth.

"Uchiha? What business do you have here?"

Sasuke recognized the sneering boy, supposed leader of the trio. He was the top student of his class, and the other two followed him around like they were some sort of gang–which they probably were. Sasuke glared threateningly at the boy who in response took a defensive stance, his eyes narrowed and shining amusedly.

"Sasuke?"

Sasuke looked down at the half-conscious blonde, and his eyes widened. Naruto's left eye was swollen and purple, his lip was split, and blood was steadily seeping through his blonde hair and down his temple. Sasuke's heart hammered with rage. Turning his eyes onto the boys, their eyes widened and they scowled for some reason or another but Sasuke could care less, gnashing his teeth and preparing to lunge–when there was a light tug on his arm.

Sasuke yanked his arm out of reflex, but it was Naruto who had grabbed hold of him in his daze. Naruto stumbled into him, and Sasuke hurriedly caught the blonde by the arm before he could hit the ground. The blonde rubbed his bowed head wearily.

"Please don't get yourself riled up in my problems, Sasuke," the blonde murmured, his voice cracking in a low baritone Sasuke didn't recognize.

Hearing the boys snicker, Sasuke turned to them, only to see the leader boy's fist raised. "Don't turn you're back on the enemy, Uchiha!"

Sasuke's eyes widened, but he was swiftly yanked to the side, Naruto stepping in front of him. His blonde head snapped to the side as the boy's fist connected with his cheek. Sasuke's world seemed to freeze for a second, and he stuttered, trying to speak. "N-Naruto! Are you alright?"

Naruto didn't answer. He rotated his jaw and spit the blood from his torn lip onto the ground. Raising blood red eyes to the boys, they froze in fear. "How dare you attack Sasuke," he growled, his eyes glittering with rage. Naruto's face twisted with wrath, and he flashed them a pair of dagger like teeth. "_I'll kill you!_"

The boys trembled violently as tears welled in their eyes. Sasuke watched as Naruto simply staggered forward, and the boys stumbled over one another to flee; even the one on the ground who scrambled to his feet in a panic. When they were far into the distance, Naruto staggered and dropped to one knee, his hand shaking as he clutched his head. Sasuke dropped to his knees beside the blonde, his hands hovering over Naruto's wounds, afraid to touch them.

"Y-you idiot! Why did you do that?" Sasuke stuttered, panic shining in his eyes as he realized the extensive injuries about Naruto's body.

Naruto breathed harshly, his eyes hidden behind his bangs. "I couldn't let you get hurt," he whispered, his shoulders shaking as tears dribbled down his chin.

Sasuke scowled, his panic mixing with newfound anger. "Moron! You couldn't let me get hurt? What kind of bullshit is that?"

"It's not bullshit!" Naruto shot the raven a fierce glare, the hair on the back of his neck raising.

Sasuke's blood ran cold at the sight of the blonde's eyes. He stumbled back, falling to the ground in a heap as unexplainable fear coursed through his veins. "N-naruto… y-you're eyes–they're…"

Naruto's good eye widened, terror striking through his being as a dark voice hissed from deep within his mind. _"When they look at you… they see me." _

Horror struck through him, Sasuke's fear imprinting into his memory like the brand of a hot iron. Naruto scrambled back and away from the Uchiha, clambering to his feet and into the trees, racing through the forest toward his home. He kept his head bowed to hide his eyes as he raced though the market, Sasuke's image permanently etched into his retinas. Making a swift leap to his balcony, Naruto yanked the door open and slammed it behind him. His heart raced as he leaned against the door. His knees shook and buckled beneath him. His scarlet red eyes burned as he burst into tears. Naruto's stomach swirled and twisted, nausea threatening to erupt inside of him. He slapped a hand over his mouth when his stomach lurched.

_Why is this happening to me?_

**

* * *

**

A/N:

And there's the foreboding. Oh my, yes, my mind is very evil and cruel to Naruto even though I love him so dearly. I don't quite understand it myself, so don't ask. As you've noticed, and like I've said before, I knew my mind wasn't going to let me end it with a second chapter. There's going to be a third chapter. Sasuke and Naruto had foul mouths even as children :0 Review and tell me what you think–and yes you can yell at me for mercilessly burning the fluff =.='

**Lots of love,**

**-MM :3**


	3. Fire Of Wrath, Fire Of Passion

**Quick A/N: Yay! I have internet! *does a little happy dance* Hey everybuddy, I fixed up the first and second chapters before I posted the third and final chapter! You know, a little tweaks here and there, just tryin to make it a more interesting read. So if you want, you can re-read it from the begining! It won't hurt, but you might like the story a whole lot more if you do! The document uploader hates me however, so if there are any missing sentences or anything like that, be a dear and let me know? I'll fix'em up. (: Alright, I'll stop talking now.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. If I did, Kiba would get a lot more airtime (: Enjoy~**

* * *

**Chapter 3: Fire of Wrath, Fire of Passion**

* * *

"_I will never know _

_Myself until I do this on my own_

_And I will never feel _

_Anything else until my wounds are healed_

_I will never be _

_Anything till I break away from me_

_I will break away _

_I'll find myself today_

_I wanna heal, I wanna feel_

_What I thought was never real_

_I wanna let go of the pain _

_I've felt so long_

_Erase all the pain till it's gone_

_I wanna heal, I wanna feel_

_Like I'm close to something real_

_I wanna find something I've wanted all along_

_Somewhere I belong_

_I wanna heal, I wanna feel _

_Like I am somewhere I belong_

_I wanna heal, I wanna feel_

_Like I am somewhere I belong_

_Somewhere I belong"_

_-Somewhere I Belong, Linkin Park_

~.**~*~**.~

A violent storm had long enveloped the skies of Konoha for three days straight. Shinobi scrambled about the village, trying to keep the damage to a minimum as lightning lashed mercilessly upon the foliage and sky scraping buildings, thunder groaning soon after to scare the children into hiding under their parent's bed covers. One child, however, lay awake–engrossed in thought rather than fear. Pensiveness had driven him into bed, but he could not sleep. He did not toss or shift–he was completely still, unsettled and deeply troubled. Red eyes haunted his every thought and notion, his blood had long ago run cold. They would flash and narrow like the flickering flames of fire, but would soon after be overcome with blue waves, tears welling within them.

His conflicted attention was trained onto the ceiling, but he only saw the interchanging character within those spellbinding eyes. A sharp knock at his door made him jolt to reality, and the littlest Uchiha idled down his staircase, the creaks drowning in the thunder. Coming to his front door, the boy wondered who would be out walking through a horrid storm. Sasuke hesitated, but shook his head of the underlying fear that prickled in his heart. Yanking open the door with determination, Sasuke dropped his shoulders, somewhat relieved yet disappointed. It was none other than Shikamaru Nara, shivering on his front step in a raincoat. Sasuke raised his brow at the boy, confused as to why the unacquainted boy was at his home. Shikamaru merely nodded, and Sasuke stepped aside to let him in. The tall boy moved quickly inside, and shrugged off his soaked coat.

Sasuke frowned at the boy. "You plan on staying? This isn't a hotel."

Shikamaru didn't turn to look at him, merely looked about the Uchiha's home. "So very rude, as always. Is there something on your conscious, Uchiha?"

Sasuke frowned, the inapplicable question irritating him. "Can I help you with something?"

Shikamaru looked over his shoulder at him then, his skeptical look ever present. "Your home seems to be in good shape. You could hardly be ill. I can't imagine any other reason to be homebound and playing hooky. The storm merely heightened this morning, but you've squandered the past two days in this house. Care to enlighten me, Uchiha?"

Sasuke paused, Shikamaru's sharp eyes catching him by surprise. His eyes narrowed. "How I spend my time has nothing to do with you Nara," he growled.

Shikamaru raised a brow and turned around fully to face the Uchiha. "Hmm, getting defensive? Does this happen to have anything to do with Nar–"

"You've overstayed your welcome." Sasuke stomped toward the door and yanked it open. The storm swept into his house, wracking picture frames.

Shikamaru closed his eyes for a moment in the turmoil and smiled to himself. Moving toward the door, he made no move to put on his coat but simply raised a hand. He closed the door, his height advantage triumphing over the Uchiha who continued to glare up at him. "I may not be close to you in any way, but I've come to know Naruto recently in detention." He was quiet for a moment, as if letting that settle in the atmosphere. His brow lowered some, but not to the point of anger, rather to that of unease. "The other day, at the academy, I followed you." Sasuke adverted his eyes. "I saw what happened."

The raven closed his eyes and suppressed the shiver as the unbidden image of red eyes rose to the forefront of his mind. "So?"

Shikamaru frowned. "_So?_ I think you know exactly why I'm here, Uchiha."

Sasuke clenched his jaw, and glared at the boy. "And?"

Shikamaru shook his head and looked at anything but the boy for a moment, gathering his patience. "What are you going to do?"

Sasuke scowled and tried to tug open the door, but was met with resistance. "I don't have to _do_ anything."

Shikamaru dropped his eyes, a dark smirk playing at his lips. "Huh. And here I thought he cracked your cold heart. I guess I was mistaken."

Sasuke moved gratefully aside as Shikamaru opened the door himself, and ran his arms through the sleeves of his coat. He tugged the hood up, but paused in the doorway, turning his dark eyes to other. "You saw his face. He's just as scared as you, if not more so, and you know it." Shikamaru turned out the door, but his voice filtered through the storm as he closed the door behind him, "He locked himself up in his apartment."

Sasuke stared at the door silently, feeling a sort of déjà vu. Silent affliction made him unable to move from the spot he stood. His arm moved to reflexively grab his coat, but it froze in midair. He stared at it for a moment, the dark contours of its shadow flickering violently on the wall from the continuous flashes of lightning. A thundering crack in the distance wracked his home, making him jump. Screams and shrieks came from outside, making Sasuke's heart race. He ripped the coat off the nail just as he yanked the door open, and ran outside. His eyes immediately zoned in on the red fire in the distance, licking up the sides of a familiar tall building and crawling inside the windows. His eyes flew wide in fear. "Naruto!"

Sasuke slammed the door behind him and jumped into the street of panicking villagers. Pushing through the fleeing figures, Sasuke raced up to the crumbling building, the electric wires thrashing and snarling about the flames like coiled snakes. The building groaned, slightly teetering to one side. His eyes whipped around, looking for a head full of blonde hair in the gathered villagers about the building. A group standing off to the side had Jounin holding them back, the people screaming to be let in to grab their belongings. Naruto wasn't among them. "Sasuke!" Sasuke turned around, his eyes falling on his sensei, the man running up to him from around the other side of the building, his eyes alight with panic. "Where's Naruto?"

Sasuke took a deep breath to scream over the commotion. "I think he's still inside!"

Iruka's eyes flew wide in fear. "He can't be! The Jounin already came back with all the residents!"

Sasuke pursed his lips for a moment, looking up into the moaning building. He narrowed his eyes. "If Naruto's not out here, he has to be in there!"

Iruka made a grab for the boy's shirt, but merely grasped the smoggy air as the boy flung himself up the broken stair case and into the caving building. "Sasuke, wait!"

Sasuke took no heed to his sensei's call, running through the lobby and up flights of stairs. The stairs later collapsed, forcing Sasuke to take a hallway that led back to the outer wall. Coming back to the outside of the building, Sasuke ran as fast as his legs could carry him up the stairs. Sasuke covered his face when a window suddenly shattered, flames and sparks shooting out to snap him. He could hear the distant screams of the onlookers. He stumbled as the staircase suddenly jolted, careening away from the building. The crowd shrieked. Sasuke's heart rammed into his ribs as he scrambled up the rickety stairs and onto Naruto's balcony. Yanking the door open and leaping into the abode, Sasuke lost his footing as an explosion of heat and wicked flames flew out at him. The world seemed to freeze for a moment as he fell back, the sky's crying face greeting him like the anger of god as light flashed violently within the clouds. Sasuke swung out his arms and grabbed hold of the door knob. The door came swinging back in his face as he pulled himself up. The door slammed shut, Sasuke precariously toeing the frame of the doorway. Turned his eyes over his shoulder, he looked down the side of the building as the staircase fell to the street, the villagers fleeing out of the way. Iruka was no where to be seen, probably still on the other side of the building. Panting, Sasuke dug his nails harshly into the wood frame. His heart was flying at speeds he never thought possible as the turned the knob and threw himself onto the floor of Naruto's bedroom, narrowly avoiding the beast's fire as it again snapped out at him with jagged teeth. Sasuke squinted from way he lay, flames cackling and snickering as they enveloped the ceiling and walls.

"Naruto!" Sasuke called from the floor, dragging himself to his feet. He maneuvered about the flames, his arm raised to shield his squinted eyes from the sparks. "Naruto, where are you?" He ran to the bed, and looked around the wreckage. All he could see were fierce red flames, snapping jaws, and the roaring beasts consuming the building. Turning to the bedroom door, Sasuke grabbed the doorknob, only for it to burn his hand. Crying out, Sasuke tucked his had to his chest, and glared at the door. "Naruto!" Sasuke backed up, and charged the door. It flew away into red flames that leapt out at him from the other side. Sasuke fell to the floor, and hurriedly slapped the flames from the dry spots on his clothes, putting them out. Frozen momentarily on the floor with shock, Sasuke couldn't breathe. He gasped and wheezed, trying to pull himself up onto his feet, and failing. "N-Naruto!" Sasuke instead crawled along the floor, and looked up into the bathroom. His eyes were watering, but there, in the corner, among the flames, he spotted a flicker of blonde. Sasuke grunted, and reached up the wall. Grabbing hold of the doorframe, Sasuke lifted himself up onto his feet, and stumbled inside. Naruto sat curled up in the corner, his arms wrapped over his head and eyes scrunched shut in fear. Sasuke forced his legs to move, running over to Naruto, and pulling on his arms. "Naruto, get up!" One red eye squinted up at Sasuke, making him freeze.

"S-Sasu-" Naruto flinched, red eyes flying open as a thundering crack spliced the air. Tears flew from his eyes as they fixated on Sasuke. The familiar look of fear woke Sasuke from his apprehension and he looked up as another crack reverberated through his being. The ceiling exploded open, and charred, alight lumber fell from within. Adrenaline exploded within him, and Sasuke grabbed hold of Naruto's arms, ripping him from the corner and out onto the hallway floor, narrowly avoiding the lumber and flames.

Sasuke jumped to his feet, pulling Naruto along with him, the blonde was still frozen in fear. "We have to get out of here, Naruto!"

Naruto lifted his eyes from the floor, "B-but I–" Naruto froze, seeing the bruises and burns littering Sasuke's body. The blonde hesitantly nodded, and pulled the injured raven toward his balcony, turning a blind eye to the flames. Looking down into the crowd, Naruto's eyes widened in realization that the stair case had fallen. "Help! We're stuck!" The villagers only stared up at him–none of them were shinobi. Naruto looked around. "What do we do?"

Receiving no answer, Naruto looked back at his friend, only to see the Uchiha had fallen to the floor. "Sasuke!" Naruto dropped to his knees at the other's side, and turned him over. Sasuke lay unconscious, his face glowing in the fire. The bruises and burns glared harshly against his pale skin. Naruto trembled violently at how fragile the boy looked. Blood rushed to Naruto's head, and his pulse pounded in his ears as he shook the raven. "Sasuke! Please, wake up! Sasuke!"

There was no response. He couldn't breath, the air was so thick with heat and smog. Looking back into the open doorway, Naruto looked down into the fearful faces of the crowd, the ground so far from where he sat. His heart leapt into his throat, and tears ran down his cheeks. Dropping his head in defeat, Naruto's sorrow showered down onto his one and only friend. "I can't… I don't…" Naruto was suddenly thrown to the ground as the building violently tossed to one side. His head smacked the floor, stars flying before his eyes.

When the building settled, Naruto struggled to pull his arms beneath him. He looked up, but quickly shut his eyes as blood colored his vision. His eyes however flew back open as the building released a roar like no other, the floor shaking beneath him. Naruto scrambled to his feet, but found Sasuke no where near him. Frantically scanning the room, he spotted the limp body across the room. Naruto's heart rammed into his ribs. "Sasuke!"

Naruto hurriedly turned him over, and his blood froze in his veins. Sasuke had been tossed into the mirror, a shattered piece of glass impaling his thigh. "S…sasu…" Naruto struggled to breath as he fingered the glass. Streams of tears burst from his eyes as he pulled the glass out, his stomach lurching. He threw the bloodied glass away, and crouched over Sasuke as his ill fear washed over him. Naruto paused, seeing a flickering image of a red-eyed monster staring back at him through the scattered glass like mosaic. Naruto touched his face, the monster copying him, his clawed hands smearing blood over his cheek.

Naruto's stomach turned and hardened. He looked down on his friend's battered form, his rasping breaths and shaking frame. _…he came back for me… I can't give up now!_ Naruto's face fiercely drew down as he stared at his claws. Naruto ripped off the shredded portion of his shirt, and tore it down the middle. Naruto folded Sasuke's thin arms together and wrapped one piece of the fabric around them tightly, tieing a stiff knot. Carefully picking the boy off the ground and into a sitting position, Naruto lifted Sasuke's tied arms above his head and around his neck. Naruto stood hurriedly, pulling the raven's legs around his waist and tying them together at the knees with the other scrap of his shirt. Making sure the boy was secure, Naruto hurriedly ran to his desk, and yanked open the drawer. Sharpened kunai gleamed back at him. Taking two, Naruto stood in the doorway of his apartment, and looked down the side of the building. Taking a deep, shuddering breath, Naruto kicked off his shoes.

He turned from the crowd and slowly lowered himself out of the doorway and onto the wall. He struck the kunai into the building wall, and dug his clawed toes into the wood. Naruto cried out at the harsh tugging on his claws with Sasuke's combined weight. Clenching his teeth, Naruto pulled one kunai out of the building, and struck it lower. Pulling out the other, he slowly scaled down the wall, ignoring the pain of his burns and the scaling itself. It was difficult to get a good hold of the kunai with all the rain. After a long time of scaling, he dared to look down, and was relieved to see he was already halfway down.

Naruto's form shook as the building roared and quaked as if it were trying to throw him off. His heart skipped a beat as he felt Sasuke slipping off his waist. Looking down, he saw that his legs' tie was coming undone with all the water it was soaking up. Cursing profoundly, panic flew through him. Just as reached to grasp the tie, Sasuke's arms began to slip from his neck as well. Naruto's eyes grew impossibly wide as he wrapped a hand around Sasuke's jointed arms in a desperate attempt to keep him from falling. "Fuck!"

The building shuddered, a thundering crack splitting the wall in half beneath Naruto. Flames flew from the building's wound as it jolted violently. Naruto turned his eyes from the explosion of heat, and screamed as his face was burned. The building buckled, and Sasuke's arms slipped from Naruto's wet grip. The crowds screamed in horror as Sasuke fell from Naruto's back. "Sasuke!" Naruto let go of the kunai and leapt from the wall. Throwing his arm out toward the boy, his claws caught the fabric of his shirt. Grasping the shirt in his fist, Naruto grabbed the wall. He couldn't get a good hold. His claws ripped through the wood effortlessly as they continued to descend. Growling, Naruto curled his fingers, digging his claws further into the wood. They finally caught, and Naruto's arm was viciously yanked, leaving him in a dead hang. Blood streamed down his fingers.

His pained screams caught the attention of a nearby jounin a few building away. The one-eyed jounin turned to the building, seeing a small child clinging to the wall with another boy hanging in his grasp. "Holy Fuck!" Looking closer, he saw slash marks in the building, and upon closer inspection, realized the two boys were none other than the last Uchiha and the Uzumaki kid. Kakashi swore beneath his breath.

Naruto brought his legs up and dug his bloody toes into the wall. From around the building, Iruka shoved through the crowd and looked up at the scene in horror. "Naruto!" Iruka hurriedly shoved the remaining villagers out of his way. Taking a deep breath, Iruka shouted up the building, "Naruto!"

Naruto, hearing his sensei's voice, looked down into the crowd. Relief flooding through him. "Iruka-sensei!"

The boys had fallen a considerable distance, and could now be seen clearly. Iruka froze, seeing Naruto's red eyes and fangs. He turned a deaf ear to the crowd's shocked murmurs at the sight. Iruka threw out his arms. "Naruto! Drop Sasuke! I'll catch him!"

Naruto froze. Just as Iruka said that, it was as if the ground sank away, seeming so much farther down than it originally did. Naruto tightened his grip on Sasuke's shirt, and swallowed thickly.

Iruka came closer. "Don't worry Naruto! I won't drop him!"

Naruto locked his jaw as heat began to ball behind his eyes. Looking from Sasuke to his sensei, he sucked in a breath and yelled, "Promise!"

Iruka nodded pleadingly. "I promise Naruto!"

The tears fell from his eyes, and slowly, Sasuke's shirt began to slip from his grip. His heart hammered in his chest, and he tightened his grip. Naruto shook his head. "I can't!"

Iruka was about to call up to the blonde once more, when a few men surrounded him, throwing up their arms alongside his. "It's alright! We'll catch him, Naruto!"

"Let go! We'll catch him!"

"Let him go, Naruto! It'll be alright!"

Iruka looked at the men, his eyes wide with surprise. The crowd began to shout in agreement. Naruto froze, hearing the encouraging remarks from the villages within the crowd looking up at him. Naruto stared at them helplessly for a moment as Sasuke's shirt was slipping through his bloody hand. Hesitantly, he called down desperately, "Please, catch him!" as Sasuke's shirt slipped from his hand.

Naruto's heart sank into his stomach as he watched Sasuke fall through the air. The men bowed, catching Sasuke in their net of arms just moments before his lanky body smashed into the pavement. Naruto sucked in bucket loads of air in relief. One of the men took Sasuke into his arms as the others raised their arms once more.

Before they could call out to the blonde however, the building's last pillars collapsed, and the building twisted before exploding in a cloud of angry fire that lashed out in all directions. Iruka's heart rammed into his ribcage as he watched the scene as if it were in slow motion. Naruto was thrown from the building and swallowed in the jaws of the fire. The men ran from the building as debris fell around them, dragging the horrified Iruka with them who screamed for his student.

The men hurriedly dove to ground and away from the falling debris, pulling Iruka with them. The thundering crash of the building collapsing to the ground pierced through the hearts of the villagers like a stake as they looked on in mute horror. The final floors of the building came crashing down, erupting in a cloud of dust, smoke and fire. The smoke flew into the streets, slithering around the villagers' feet. The men looked away as the women covered their faces.

Iruka lifted his head from the ground, horrified as he looked up into the roaring orange fire that had begun to devour what little remained of the building. Getting onto his feet, Iruka staggered towards the building. His legs buckled beneath him and he fell to his knees, his stomach twisting. "N…no…" Iruka struggled to breath as the angry fires hissed and lashed out at the sky as the rain continued to pour. Iruka fell onto his hands, his stomach threatening to spill as a torrent of tears fell from his eyes. "Naruto!"

A crunching sounded from his side as a pair of sandaled feet walked up beside him. The soft voice called out to him. "Iruka, stop crying and get up."

Iruka shook his head fiercely, and tried to push the man away. "M-my student, Kakashi! He was my fucking student!"

Iruka continued to push on the man's leg, but Kakashi didn't budge one inch. "Just a student? I don't think he'd like to hear that from you, Iruka."

Iruka gnashed his teeth and glared up at the man, "God damn you, Kakash-" Iruka's words died in his throat as he looked up at the calm man silhouetted by the shimmering rain of the sky, with a bundle in his arms. Iruka's eyes widened as his heart hammered in his chest.

Kakashi cradled the boy in one arm and offered a hand to Iruka, his eyes softly smiling at him. "I caught him, Iruka. Stop crying."

Iruka's eyes welled up with fresh tears as his chin trembled. Taking the hand, Iruka lifted himself off of the ground. Iruka glared at the man and punched him in the shoulder. "You should've said that from the very beginning, you ass!" Iruka's attention turned to Naruto, his eyes running over the blonde fervently, and reached out. Kakashi readily handed the blonde to Iruka and moved away. Looking down into Naruto's burned face, he couldn't stop the tears from flowing. "Dear God, Naruto…" He clenched his eyes shut, unable to look at the gruesome burns.

The tears fell from his cheeks and onto Naruto's face, mixing with the rain that collected on the boy's lashes. Naruto grimaced slightly, and squinted up at his sensei. "Iruka… sensei…" Iruka froze, and looked down on his student with sensitive eyes. Naruto frowned crossly. "Could you not cry on me? It kinda stings."

Iruka choked, his eyes narrowing on the blonde. "Why you," Iruka growled.

Naruto sluggishly turned his head and looked around. "Where's Sasuke?"

Kakashi came closer then, having taken the raven off the villager's hands. Seeing Sasuke's frailty, Naruto weakly reached out to the raven, and petted the black locks softly. His arm trembled and gave out, falling to his side. Exhaustion overtook him as his eyes fell shut.

Kakashi looked at Iruka gravely. "Let's go, they need attention."

~.**~*~**.~

There was an acrylic smell that made his nose tickle and slowly pulled him to consciousness. With a violent sneeze, Naruto jerked in his hospital bed–and immediately regretted it. He let out a long stream of every curse beneath the pretty blue sky.

"Such vulgar language. Hmm. I like lively kids. We'll get along just fine."

Naruto stilled, and opened his eyes–well, one of them at least. The left eye seemed to be sealed shut somehow, and no light filtered through the eyelid. Turning his head, Naruto shut his eye to the blinding light behind his visitor. All he caught of the unfamiliar man was his gravity defying hair. Naruto tried to pull up his arm to shield his eye from the light when a piercing pain flew up his arm. Naruto cried out.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. You tore up your arm pretty bad with that little wall scaling stunt. It'd be wise not to move it. I'll close the blinds."

Naruto did as the man told him, not wanting a replay. A slight scraping sound insinuated the blinds were being drawn closed, and the light faded from beyond his eyelid. Naruto reluctantly opened his good eye and looked up at the man who sat on a chair at his bedside. Naruto blinked, intrigued. He was rather odd looking. He wore a mask that covered the lower half of his face. His headband was pulled down to cover his left eye, leaving the right eye the only part of his face showing.

His gray eye softened as he tapped a strange orange book in his hands. "You'll want to take it easy for a day. Your arm was badly injured, as was the rest of your body. You're covered head to toe in burns. You may heal fast, but that was quite an adventure you had the other day."

Naruto tried to lift his other arm, and was pleased when it didn't protest like the other, and itched his nose. It didn't quite work out well however, for his hand was well wrapped up in bandages all the way up to the shoulder. Looking down on his other arm, he believed the strange man when he said '_head to toe.' _Naruto's face scrunched in displeasure. "I always heal–" Naruto paused for a moment and looked back at the man silently, his eyes wide. Kakashi waited for the boy to speak, his brow raised inquisitively. "How did you know I heal fast?"

Kakashi smiled amusedly. "Hmm. I wonder."

Naruto frowned at the man's cryptic answer with that smile. "You're creepy."

Kakashi's eye widened. "W-what?"

Naruto narrowed his good eye. "You cover up you're face, your hair sticks up at a weird angle, and you answered my question all vague like with a creepy smile!"

Kakashi leaned forward and jabbed his finger in Naruto's face. "Then you're the one who's creepy!" Naruto had to look cross eyed at the finger it was so close to his nose. "Your whole face is covered, your hair sticks up in random directions, and you have a high pitched girly voice–yet you're a boy!"

"What did you just say to me?" Naruto squawked indignantly as he waved his fist around. "My face is covered because I _burned_ my _face! _At least my hair has some sort of normalty compared to yours! And I _do not _sound like a girl! My throat is just raw!"

Kakashi looked blankly back at him. "The correct term is _normality_, not _normalty_."

Naruto glared at this man who just shows up randomly like some creeper, almost blinded him, and is now rudely mocking him about the way he looks and sounds as he's laying in a hospital bed. "Who are you, anyway?"

Kakashi leaned back in his seat, and making a proud face, tapped his chest with his orange book to which Naruto's eyes slowly focused in on. "I'm Hatake Kakashi–"

"Is that porn?"

Kakashi sputtered at the boys audacity, and was about to give him a piece of his mind, when the door to Naruto's hospital room opened. The two bickering occupants turned their faces simultaneously toward the newcomer. Iruka rushed in, panting. His shimmering eyes locking on Naruto immediately.

The small blonde gave him a short wave and a small grin. "Hey there, Iruka-sensei," his soft voice rasped.

Iruka frowned and marched right up to his bedside, grabbing the blonde's hand in mid-wave. "What were you thinking, Naruto? Scaling a wall with nothing but two kunai? You should have called for help!"

Naruto blinked at his sensei, surprised the man would come in and start yelling at him so suddenly. "I-I did, Iruka-sensei! No one heard me, and Sasuke couldn't–" Naruto's eye widened, and he flew up from his pillow, "Sasuke!" Naruto immediately regretted his actions. He clutched his stomach as a sharp burning sensation swirled in his gut.

Iruka steadied the blonde. "Naruto, you shouldn't move! You were badly injured. There's only so much you can take."

Kakashi sighed in his stiff chair. "Oh my, such a short attention span." Iruka glared at the silver haired man, to which Kakashi shut his mouth and looked through a peek hole in the blinds.

The blonde looked up at Iruka, his big blue eye shining. "Iruka-sensei? What happened to me?"

Iruka looked taken aback by the straight forward question. Iruka had asked the Third Hokage the same question. At the time he got sick, Naruto had already been emotionally drained. Kyuubi had taken advantage of that, and slightly unwound the seal. Sarutobi did his best to repair the seal, but there was no way to fully repair it without hurting the boy at the time. Looking into the blonde's innocent blue eyes, Iruka couldn't bear to tell him the truth. "I'm not sure, but you're alright now."

Naruto nodded, not quite satisfied with the answer, but knowing that that was the best answer he was going to get. "How is Sasuke, Iruka-sensei? Is he alright?"

Iruka smiled at him and nodded. "Yes, he's just fine. He's in a different room because he needed a respirator. He inhaled a lot of smoke." Naruto's eye watered, and he looked down into his lap. "Naruto what's wrong?"

Tears trailed down his cheek. "If I hadn't been such a coward and hid in the bathroom, Sasuke wouldn't have had to come save me."

Iruka frowned and wrapped his arms around the small boy. "Oh, Naruto, this was not your fault at all." Iruka moved away, and lifted Naruto's chin with his finger until he was looking at his smiling sensei. "You were so brave. A little stupid, but brave. Like a true ninja."

Naruto looked up at his sensei, astonished, his blue eye sparkling like the child he was. "Really?"

Iruka nodded, and pulled the blonde back into his arms. He carded his fingers through the boy's hair. "But you still scared the hell out of me, so you have detention for the whole week."

Naruto's sole eye widened, and he tried to squirm away from his sensei. "But that's not fair, Iruka-sensei! No one heard me! I had to get Sasuke out of the smoke! Iruka-sensei!"

Naruto's struggles were futile–and they hurt like hell. He fell limp in his sensei's arms, forced to let Iruka pet him for the moment. It did feel really nice, but there was a nagging at the back of Naruto's mind, and he couldn't ignore it. "Iruka-sensei… can I go see Sasuke?"

Iruka moved back to look Naruto in the eye, his frown insinuating the answer Naruto knew he would receive. "Naruto, you need to rest. Right now you should just relax and recover."

Naruto and Iruka stared at one another for what seemed like forever. Neither side was backing down. Naruto began to glare. _Alright, your asking for it!_ Naruto tilted his chin down and looked up at Iruka through his eyelashes as his eye began to glitter with welling tears. With a slight pout he whimpered, "But I need to see him, Iruka-sensei. Please?"

Iruka's firm face lasted for a total of five seconds before he adverted his eyes and grumbled, "Let me get a sling for your arm."

Naruto sniggered under his breath. Kakashi looked up from his book, a cool look on his face. "Played just like a fiddle. What thin resolve."

Kakashi stiffened as the big, glittering puppy-dog eye was suddenly turned onto him. "Or maybe I'm just that cute, neh?" At the end of the sentence, Naruto smiled and tilted his head. His spiky hair fell to the left where it clumped together on both sides of his head, to which Kakashi thought, making it look as though he had he had fox ears.

Kakashi's heart thudded, a blush rising to his cheeks as he stumbled over his words. "Y-yeah,"

Naruto turned to Iruka when the young man returned, thanking him for the sling. Kakashi blinked, and shook his head. He stared at Naruto disbelievingly. _I think I was just put into some sort of trance!_ Kakashi looked up at Iruka when he realized the man was speaking to him. He said something akin to being back later. Kakashi nodded numbly. Iruka picked the blonde up and carried him out of the room. But just before they closed the door, Naruto looked over Iruka's shoulder and smirked evilly at the jounin, waving an orange book in his smallish hand. Kakashi jumped to his feet, his jaw slack and gaping as he watched the blonde mouth the word 'porn' before disappearing into the hallway. _That little_–!

~.**~*~**.~

When they had reached Sasuke's door, Naruto was suddenly unsure if he wanted to see Sasuke all beaten up. He had no choice in the matter, however, because before Iruka could open the door, a nurse opened it from the inside. She paused in the doorway and smiled kindly. "Excuse me," she offered kindly, before squeezing by and out of the room. Naruto didn't even hear her. His eyes had focused solely on Sasuke the moment the barrier between them was removed. The raven was sitting up in bed, and hearing the nurse's remark, had turned to look in the doorway. His eyes, too, had focused solely on the blonde the moment he saw him. The raven's hands were bandaged, as was his forehead. There was a slight bruise beneath his left eye, and his right cheek was sporting a thin gauze patch.

Naruto squirmed in Iruka's arms until the young man was forced to let Naruto down. Naruto winced when his bandaged toes touched the cold floor, but that didn't stop him. He trotted over to Sasuke's bed and hopped up into one of the chairs, before clambering up onto the bed itself. He scooted about until he sat directly in front of the littlest Uchiha. They simultaneously turned and stared at Iruka blankly.

Iruka laughed nervously. "Oh, right. Sorry. I'll just wait out here." He awkwardly closed the door.

Slowly, Naruto turned his eye onto Sasuke who's hand was already raised and reaching toward him. Naruto tried not to flinch when Sasuke's fingers softly traced his eye. His brow was furrowed. "What happened to your eye?"

Naruto shook his head and smiled. "Nothing. My eye is fine. My face got burned, that's all."

Sasuke frowned. "What do you mean, 'that's all?' Naruto, you're bandaged all over like a mummy."

Naruto's eye widened at Sasuke's harsh tone, and he looked down into his lap. "I know–"

"I shouldn't have left you alone." Naruto paused, and raised his eye. Sasuke was looking down at his bandaged hands, his eyes hidden from view behind his bangs. "I wasn't there for you. You were sick, and I ran away like a coward. This is all my fault." Naruto froze, catching the silent tears sliding down Sasuke's cheeks.

Naruto hurriedly got onto his knees, and sat between the raven's legs. Wrapping his good arm around Sasuke's shoulders, he buried his face into the boy's shoulder. "Please… don't cry…" Sasuke stiffened, hearing the sniffles as hot breath soaked through his shirt and collected on his skin. "I… I shouldn't have hid in the bathroom. I was the coward…"

Sasuke fiercely shook his head, and pushed the boy away. Sasuke glared intensely at Naruto though tears fell from his eyes. "Don't make stupid excuses for me, idiot! I messed up!"

Naruto leaned forward onto his good hand, his glare rivaling the Uchiha's as he too, cried. "I'm not making excuses!"

Sasuke pushed the boy away again. Naruto struggled to keep balance. "If I hadn't thrown you out in the storm, you wouldn't have gotten sick!"

Naruto growled, and sniffled. "If I hadn't been screwing around pulling pranks on you, you wouldn't have been put in that situation in the first place!"

Sasuke grabbed the boys shoulders roughly. Naruto winced. "Naruto!" Naruto's eye widened at Sasuke's furious yet pleading expression. Sasuke sighed and dropped his arms to his sides as hr leaned back into his pillow. Sasuke adverted his eyes out the window. "There's no use arguing with you. You don't listen."

Naruto looked out the window as well. "None of it was your fault."

Sasuke rested his head against the wall and closed his eyes. "Tch. None of it was _your_ fault."

A few minutes went by, just spent in comfortable silence, when Naruto yawned. Sasuke's eyes flew open when fingers laced with his as a weight lay itself gently across his lap. Naruto had lay beside his legs, his blonde head set upon the littlest Uchiha's thigh. "I'm tired," Naruto murmured softly.

Sasuke smirked slightly. "Yeah, me too." Naruto carefully reached for Sasuke's free hand, keen on not stretching his muscle too far. He fingered the bandages about Sasuke's thin fingers. A big blue eye looked up at him questioningly. "I burned my hand on a door knob, but it doesn't hurt anymore," Sasuke muttered quietly.

Naruto dropped his eye back to Sasuke's lithe hand as he gently rubbed the raven's palm with his thumb. Naruto placed Sasuke's hand on his head–a request in itself. Sasuke complied, petting the blonde locks as he closed his eyes and laid his head back on the wall.

"…is your thigh okay?"

Sasuke smirked again. "Yeah, it's fine."

It was silent once more. Sasuke had almost fallen asleep, when a soft voice came one last time. "…thank you, Sasuke."

Sasuke's brow furrowed slightly as he looked down at the half-conscious blonde. "For what?"

Naruto smiled sleepily as Sasuke's voice echoed through his mind, _"I won't tolerate anymore stupid excuses." _He picked at the hospital wool blanket. "…for staying."

Sasuke blinked, and rested his head back on the wall. "I have something to say to you, too."

_"I can't… I won't give them a reason to look at you like that ever again…not you."_

Naruto turned his head slightly. "…hmm?"

Sasuke petted the blonde locks one final time as his eyes started to droop. "…thank you …for your stubbornness."

Naruto giggled softly, and held Sasuke's hand tighter. "…you're so silly… Sasuke…"

Sasuke chuckled too, and returned the gesture as his eyes closed. "…yeah?"

Naruto sighed contentedly. "…mm."

The room fell quiet, the soft breathing of the two occupants being the only noise. Iruka would later peek through the door to deliver Sasuke and Naruto's get well presents and flowers from the villagers for their heroic display they put on the other day. He desided to come later however, for the two boys, each solely content with the mere presence of the other, smiled softly in their sleep.

* * *

**A/N: I thouroughly enjoyed writing this one! There was a lot more action and whole lot less talking (until the end of course). Oh my, that was quite explosive don't you think? I have no idea what it is I have with storms and fire, but they're just scary to me, so it excites me to put them in my stories! Don't worry, if you're planning to read more of my fics, I won't do it continually! I'll restore originality! Please Review! You'd make me a very very happy girl! Btw, Happy late Valetines Day everyone (:**

**Lots 'o Love,**

**-MM :3**


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